# salt test...how the hell do I do it?



## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

I've spent the last 5 minutes searching for the salt test and I havn't been able to find a post telling me how to do it. Can someone help me out?


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## Marathon (Mar 14, 2006)

[OT] Loki said:


> I've spent the last 5 minutes searching for the salt test and I havn't been able to find a post telling me how to do it. Can someone help me out?


Put some salt in the cap of a two liter pop bottle. Add several drops of water to form a paste - when you can turn the cap upside down and neither salt nor water comes out, you have the right mixture. Put the cap and your hygro in two ziploc bags with some air (don't try to squeeze all the air out of the bags). Let it sit for at least 8 hours (more is better - why not wait for 12, or maybe 16?). The hygro should read 75% (read through the bag - don't open it to read it). If it is off, remember by how much - this is how much to add or subtract from the reading.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

Marathon, 
Thank you. Where in southwest PA are you?


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

also, how much salt should I use?


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## CthulhuDawn (May 2, 2006)

Get a small plastic bag big enough to fit your hygrometer in and a small container such as a bottle cap. Put a little bit of salt in the cap - just enough. Maybe fill it up 1/3 of the way or a little more. Put a few drops of water on the salt to dampen it. You don't want the salt sopping wet with excess. Just moisten it. Seal your hygrometer in the bag airtight for 6-8 hours. After this period of time the humidity in the bag will have reached 75%. From here you can tell how much your hygrometer is off.

Some will say that there is no problem with testing digital hygrometers like this, but I wouldn't. :2


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

CthulhuDawn said:


> Get a small plastic bag big enough to fit your hygrometer in and a small container such as a bottle cap. Put a little bit of salt in the cap - just enough. Maybe fill it up 1/3 of the way or a little more. Put a few drops of water on the salt to dampen it. You don't want the salt sopping wet with excess. Just moisten it. Seal your hygrometer in the bag airtight for 6-8 hours. After this period of time the humidity in the bag will have reached 75%. From here you can tell how much your hygrometer is off.
> 
> Some will say that there is no problem with testing digital hygrometers like this, but I wouldn't. :2


I think I may have used a little too much salt, I used a tea spoon of salt, but atleast I'll have a better baseline on my analog. I got it free and I'm heading to radio shack monday to get a new one


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## Marathon (Mar 14, 2006)

[OT] Loki said:


> Marathon,
> Thank you. Where in southwest PA are you?


Uniontown.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

Marathon said:


> Uniontown.


I'll either be in pittsburgh or cranberry when I move back


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

OK I have the hygro and salt in a ziplock bag and then in tupperware....Guess I'm getting up at 5 or so to see what it reads.


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## DownUnder LLG (Mar 29, 2005)

Try THIS LINK

It gives you some basic instructions for testing Hygrometers. Good luck.


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## chip (Jan 18, 2006)

I test all my hygro's, and they are all digital. Use 2 pill bottle caps of salt, put everything in a small tupperware container, then seal that in another tupperware container. Leave it alone for 24-36 hrs....easy peazy.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

after two hours it's at 95%....wtf


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

as of 8:38 am (7 hours) it's reading 97%


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## Blaylock-cl (Apr 28, 2006)

[OT] Loki said:


> after two hours it's at 95%....wtf


Bottom line is the salt test works...

Get your cigars in a good humidor, put in your humidity media (50/50 solution or beads), and down the road...get yourself a digital.

I went through the same scenario a while back...tried many different hygrometers (analog and digital). I spent a lot of time, money, and frustration looking the the "perfect" one...didn't find it.

The digital should get you close to 75% when salt testing and you just need to calculate the difference.

Get some :s and enjoy some good cigars this weekend!

Blake


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

11 hours in and it's still at 97-99%. I can't see how this is possible, there is no way that my humi was at 25% rh when it was showing 75% on the hygrom.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

Hour 12:
91%


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## caskwith (Apr 10, 2006)

are you sure you have it in an airtight environment? also the salt test only owrks if you use a saturated salt solution, not just damp salt.

go to this link and look for the peice i wrote about salt testing, it will tell you how to do it properly, i use the method used by meterological scientists to test their hygrom, so it definately works.

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25000

if you have any questions send me a pm and i will try and help further.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

caskwith said:


> are you sure you have it in an airtight environment? also the salt test only owrks if you use a saturated salt solution, not just damp salt.
> 
> go to this link and look for the peice i wrote about salt testing, it will tell you how to do it properly, i use the method used by meterological scientists to test their hygrom, so it definately works.
> 
> ...


I had it in ziplock and tupperwear the first time, the second time I just had it in a ziplock. I may just pull it out and see what it reads as room RH vs what the weather report says


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## caskwith (Apr 10, 2006)

The weather report will be way off, it will be a pointless exercise. im pretty sure your problem is that you are using damp salt, you need to use a salt solution as outlined in my post. you also need to leave it for 24 hours to stablize fully, without dsturbing it, and leave it in a darkened place, not in direct sunlight because a high temperature will affect the humididty.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

caskwith said:


> The weather report will be way off, it will be a pointless exercise. im pretty sure your problem is that you are using damp salt, you need to use a salt solution as outlined in my post. you also need to leave it for 24 hours to stablize fully, without dsturbing it, and leave it in a darkened place, not in direct sunlight because a high temperature will affect the humididty.


I had it in my windowless kitchen. I'm going to try and do the boiled water one now. so all I need to do is take the salt out of the pan and put it in in the cap then inside the bag? No need to add water?


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

OK test 3:
Salt + bottle cap and just a little water. Ziplock bag and tupperwear. Lets call it 4:30 right now


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## caskwith (Apr 10, 2006)

if you read my post it says to dissolve salt in hot water until no more will dissolve (ie leaves crystals at the bottom of the dish) then let the solution cool, place the dish inside the tupperware with the hygro and leave for 24 hours.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

caskwith said:


> if you read my post it says to dissolve salt in hot water until no more will dissolve (ie leaves crystals at the bottom of the dish) then let the solution cool, place the dish inside the tupperware with the hygro and leave for 24 hours.


that's what I did but the salt was still wet. So I'll try the salt + water again and if that doesn't work I'll try it the other way again.


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## CthulhuDawn (May 2, 2006)

Man, that is tough. I don't know what is up with your hygro, but it doesn't seem like you're really doing anything wrong. I don't know, most analogs really don't work worth a crap. 

I got a Western Calibur III from bargain-humidors.com that has worked great. It's also really small and comes with a magnet attatchment so it doesn't take up any cigar real esate. They come pre-calibrated from the factory and are guaranteed to be no more than +/- 1% off. I know some BOTL will disagree, but I didn't find the need to calibrate this one myself. At least not this one. I put it in my humi with 65% beads and it has been reading 64-65% for the past week. 

You could also try a humidipak calibration bag.


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## [OT] Loki (May 24, 2006)

CthulhuDawn said:


> Man, that is tough. I don't know what is up with your hygro, but it doesn't seem like you're really doing anything wrong. I don't know, most analogs really don't work worth a crap.
> 
> I got a Western Calibur III from bargain-humidors.com that has worked great. It's also really small and comes with a magnet attatchment so it doesn't take up any cigar real esate. They come pre-calibrated from the factory and are guaranteed to be no more than +/- 1% off. I know some BOTL will disagree, but I didn't find the need to calibrate this one myself. At least not this one. I put it in my humi with 65% beads and it has been reading 64-65% for the past week.
> 
> You could also try a humidipak calibration bag.


I bought the 65% beads and called it a day. I'm just doing this for shits and giggles now. But my smokes are definitely off. I had a royal Jamacia ojo rojo tonight and it tunnel burrned on me. And of course my local shop doesn't sell them.


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## dyj48 (May 1, 2006)

IMO, it's probably your hygro. If you're using the same hygro that comes with your humi, it's analog and useless. Don't count on it. Radio Shack has some wireless digital hygros currently on sale and Walmart has some as well. Otherwise pick up the Calibers online.

But they ALL need calibration with the salt test. I've four digital hygos (including the caliber) and only one is spot on. The rest are + or - 1 to 4% on the salt test. I use a rubbermaid container that is pretty airtight. It doesn't matter how much salt you use as long as long as it's enough to change the humidity in the air that is sealed in your bag or container. If you use less salt, it takes a little longer depending on the air volume. Ultimately, the reading will stabilize and you'll get only one reading. That is the reading for your hygro and put a piece of tape on it with the adjustment, and you're ready to go! Enjoy them smokes!


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